How Game of Thrones differs from the books

So you think you know it all because you've read the Game of Thrones novels? Well think again.

The HBO television series is beginning to differ from George R R Martin's original books.

Spoiler alert: Bran Stark at Craster's Keep was never part of the books.

From subtle character difference to significant scenes like last week's crypt incest, Martin calls the changes "the butterfly effect".

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And they're going to add up to very big differences in the long run.

Here are six ways the HBO series already differs from the books.

A dog's companion ... The Hound's relationship with Arya Stark is more dominant than that of her sister.

1. Characters

In the first TV series Ned Stark decides to go to Kings Landing while his wife Catelyn begs him to stay. In the books these roles are reversed. Catelyn is the one who is ruthless and tells Ned to go.

Robb Stark's wife Jeyne Westerling was not killed at the Red Wedding, according to the books, instead her family were pardoned by the Lannisters under the threat of what would befall them if they did not fall into line (on this point, the significance of The Rains of Castamere also is explained more thoroughly in the books). The child did not survive, however, or so readers are led to believe.

Who will live and die in the Game of Thrones?

Game of Thrones season 4: Queen regent Cersei Lannister and Ser Jaime Lannister.

In the books, Jon Snow was not aware of his half-brother Bran Stark living, as Sam Tarly never told him because he was sworn to secrecy. Yesterday's episode, which was in part set at Craster's Keep, also never played out in the books.

The Night's Watch acting commander Alliser Thorne is also making Jon Snow's life hell. In the books, however, it was the recently exiled Janos Slynt who was Jon's biggest threat. HBO also introduced Noah Taylor's character of "Locke", who is a condensed version of Vargo Hoat in the books, to the Wall on Roose Bolton's orders to find Bran or Rickon Stark (a far cry from the books).

The White Walkers are starting to have a more significant role in the TV series compared to the books.

Noah Taylor as Locke ... A man of the Night's Watch and Vargo Hoat rolled into one.

Jaime Lannister was also not responsible for pairing Pod to Brienne of Tarth in the books, but it worked well in the TV series.

2. Ages

The characters in the TV series are older than they are in the books. In the novel Robb Stark and Jon Snow are 14. Sansa Stark is 11, Arya Stark is nine and Bran Stark is seven. Daenerys Targaryen is 13. HBO has bumped up the characters' ages significantly so the horror of what happens to them isn't quite as shocking.

3. Timeframe

There are many slight variations but a significant one this season was Jaime Lannister wasn't there when Joffrey died in the books.

According to George R R Martin this goes to explain that tricky sex scene. Also in the books Cersei fears that she has lost both her son and her brother. That is when Jaime arrives back home.

"Though the time and place is wildly inappropriate and Cersei Lannister is fearful of discovery, she is as hungry for him as he is for her," Martin wrote on a blog.

4. Rape? Or not?

In the HBO series Cersei clearly says no before her brother Jaime has sex with her next to the dead body of King Joffrey - the product of their past incest. George R R Martin defended the scene last week because in the book the sex was not coerced.

Martin wrote: "The scene was always intended to be disturbing. But I do regret if it has disturbed people for the wrong reasons."

In the television series Jaime had been back for weeks before Joffrey was murdered, spontaneous sex then made less sense. The scene is perhaps the biggest change caused by the butterfly effect so far.

5. Deleted characters

In season two of Game of Thrones Tyrion Lannister made his sellsord Bronn the captain of the City Watch. In the book, that never happened. The position was given to a knight named Jacelyn Bywater, who served as Tyrion's ally before dying at the Battle Of Blackwater. The HBO series combines two characters from the novels to simplify the storyline and to create a witty, more complex character that viewers will enjoy. Bronn also inherited the job of training a hand-less Jaime Lannister with the sword, which in the books fell to the tongue-less Ilyn Payne (the King's Justice - aka headsman).

King Robert's bastard whose blood was leeched by Melisandre was not Gendy but another, younger child by the name of Edric Storm.

There was also a character helping Bran Stark in the books that has not been included in the HBO series so far, but who knows he may yet crop up.

Strong Belwas was Daenerys Targaryen's champion at Meeren, but that honour fell to Daario Naharis in the show.

6. The Hound and Sansa

In the novels the relationship between the Hound and Sansa Stark was far more complex. It was such a favourite of fans that it even has its own Tumblr page. But in the HBO series this relationship has been diminished by the removal of a few key elements - where the Hound tells Sansa his backstory and their interactions in the capital. Instead more time has been given to the relationship between the Hound and Arya Stark. The big question here is how this change will affect the future of the characters as the TV series moves on?

AAP, with Aja Styles

Poll: Which character and/or character combos are you most enjoying this season?

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45 comments

I am finding the new season quite depressing given the myriad of changes the show is now making. The first 3 season were an excellent example of how to produce a show in line with a popular book series and the small, though often nescerrary changes could be easily digested. Having Jamie back ahead of time has truly played havoc with the story and his characters quest for redemption of sorts. Whilst time line changes had started to send alram bells for me the wider and character arc changes have transformed for me at least, a great series into one I am beginning to dread. Jumping the shark can only come soon for the literary fans of this world.

Commenter

Kizz

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 12:05PM

Books are not TV shows and TV shows are not books. Different mediums require different approaches and sometimes that means making changes.

GRRM is on board with the series, and I think HBO have done a great job of respecting the books. I actually really enjoy the changes, it provides something new for people that have already read the books. Keeps us guessing.

Commenter

nemo

Location

sydney

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 12:57PM

Amen. Just like The Walking Dead. Most of the changes are very similar to the reasons given here and I for one love it. It's great to be surprised by an event, especially if you've read the books.

If you want it to be exactly as you imagined it, well that's what imaginations are for. Sure events are different, but it's clearly because GRRM has a plan for this series.

Commenter

AussieA

Location

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 3:38PM

So you lose your air of superiority and smugness around the water cooler. Suffer smugette!

Commenter

Percy

Location

rob@napoleons.biz

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 10:49PM

Strong Belwas?

Commenter

Joe

Location

Sydney

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 12:22PM

Give me back my dragons!

Commenter

Horus

Location

Sydney

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 1:16PM

Yes! Strong Belwas is annoyed to have been written out of the TV show!

Commenter

Bondiboy66

Location

Flea Bottom

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 3:20PM

Katelyn Stark WAS killed at the red wedding in the books, after being Betrayed by Walder Frey, and watching her son die by crossbow bolt fire. This was after her brother Edmure was carried off after the marriage ceremony completed. Then all hell broke loose as The Rains of Castamere was played.

I still remember the stunning words to end the chapter- "Then the steel was at her throat, and its bite was red and cold" - as shocking as the end to Ned Stark, I must say.

Commenter

Andrew

Location

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 12:23PM

The article doesn't claim that Katelyn wasn't killed at the red wedding. It says that Robb's WIFE (not mother) wasn't killed there in the books, but in the TV show she is.

Commenter

Heidi

Location

Date and time

April 29, 2014, 1:18PM

No one is claiming that Catelyn Stark wasn't killed at the Red Wedding. In the book, Robb's wife didn't even attend the Red Wedding. In the TV series, Robb's wife was killed at the Red Wedding